1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an irrigation controller. More particularly, the present invention relates to an irrigation controller with integrated wire tracker functionality.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional automated irrigation systems generally comprise two coextensive physical networks that work in concert for the delivery of water. The first is a water delivery network consisting of a water delivery conduit, (e.g., pipe and/or tubing), metering, regulating and dispersing elements for efficiently regulating the flow of water through the conduit and dispersing water over a predetermined area. These elements may include pumps, boosters, irrigation control valves (such as the Weathermatic® Nitro line of diaphragm actuated valves available from Telsco Industries, Incorporated, in Garland, Tex.) anti-siphon devices, check valves, and various types of water dispersion elements (such as sprinklers, either spray, rotary, drip, bubblers, soaker or misters) for wetting the foliage or surface area with water. At least the conduit, irrigation control valves and certain water dispersion elements are installed below ground, or at least below grade. A conventional irrigation system is divided into discrete irrigation zones (sometimes referred to as stations) and the water flow to each zone is controlled and/or regulated by an irrigation control valve. Each irrigation zone is defined by a plurality of water dispersion elements, each controlled by a separate irrigation control valve, which is coupled in the conduit between the water source and the plurality of water dispersion elements. The conduit and water dispersion elements are installed directly in the ground, but irrigation control valves are protected from the soil by a valve box and cover.
The second network is an electrical control network. The purpose of the electrical control network is to generate control signals and transmit the signals to certain components in the water delivery network. Typically, the electrical control network comprises an irrigation controller for generating the control signals (such as the SmartLine™, Weathermatic® Lawnmate or WeatherMate™ controllers, all available from Telsco Industries, Incorporated), and a transmission medium for propagating the signals to the electrical components in the irrigation system.
Periodically, an irrigation zone may fail to activate due to a fault in the transmission medium for propagating the signals to the electrical components for the zone, the zone's solenoid valve or the irrigation controller. Conventional controller trouble shooting techniques can quickly validate the operability of the controller. However, identifying a fault in the control wires of the transmission medium or solenoid valve is somewhat more complicated. If the solenoid valve is not operable, electronic valve locators are useless as the solenoid cannot be energized into an audible chattering state. Therefore, an operator will often attempt to manually verify the integrity of the control wires for the faulty irrigation zone. Typically, the wires are disconnected from the controller and then electrical continuity and isolation checks are made on the control circuit using a standard multi-meter. Open circuit conditions are relatively easy to identify as the control wire circuit will exhibit a relatively high impedance. Short circuit conditions are more difficult to diagnose because the impedance of a shorted control wire circuit may approximate a good control wire circuit coupled to a solenoid. Moreover, even if the fault is properly diagnosed as a faulty control wire, conventional diagnostic techniques cannot identify the exact location of the fault in the wire.
Often, during the installation of an irrigation system, the installers will create a surface map of the irrigation system. The map shows the layout of the pipes, sprinklers and valves for each irrigation zone, with reference to fixed objects and the topography of the landscape. The operator may then update the irrigation map to incorporate the locations of plants, shrubs, trees and other foliage. With such a map, the operator will have a good approximation of the location for the control wires leading to each valve in the system; from which the operator may begin to inspect the surface area for obvious indications of a potential interruption, e.g. the placement of new trees or shrubbery over the wire, a new conduit routed across the path of the control wire. etc.